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PAGE 2—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, August 27, 1970 1101 Boyce Street, Newberry, South Carolina 29108 PUBLISHED "EVERY THURSDAY 0. F. Armfield, Jr., Owner Second-Class Postage Paid at Newberry, South Carolina SUBSCRIPTION RATES: S3.00 per year in advance; six months, $2.00. MACEDONIA LUTHERAN CHURCH The first public worship ser vice of what was to be Macedo nia Lutheran Church was held in the school house that stood near where the present church stands in the fall of 1847. The Rev. George Haltiwanger, Sr. con ducted the service and conti nued to preach one <. month un til his d£ath in 1849. In the fall of 1848 plans were laid for the construction of the first house of worship. This building was completed and de dicated in September 1849 with the Rev. William Berley in charge, having taken over the work upon the death of the Rev. Haltiwanger, Sr. Mr. Michael Sultan gave three acres of land to the congrega tion on which the first church was built. These three acres were cut off from a tract of present church stands. This ori ginal tract is now covered with the waters of Lake Mur ray. However, the church was relocated to its present site be fore the waters of Lake Murray were impounded. It is not definitely known who the 23 charter members were. It is known that David Epting and Hazekiah Dreher approach ed the Rev. George Haltiwanger to conduct the first service. Other names that can be men tioned with a degree of certain ty are, Mr. and Mrs William Epting. Miss Mary Fulmer, Mr. and Mrs. John Long, Mr. and Mrs. William Ballentine, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Derrick, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Shealy, Jacob Hil ler, and the Rev. D. I. Dreher. Other family names that may have appeared on the list are, Todd, Lybrand. Sultan, Fulmer, Holman, Harman, Hamm and others. The first building was a frame structure. At different times ad ditions, alterations, and repairs were made on the original build ing. This first building made no provision for a place for negro slaves owned by members of the congregation. It is said of them, ■'the early Lutherans treated their slaves as members of their own families. They took them to church and gave them instruc tion in the Word of God.” Dur ing the pastorate of the Rev. J. A Sligh, 1866-1881 and 1889-1890, it is recorded that the Holy Communion was administered regularly to Negro members. Even after being set free many of the Negro slaves remained with their former “masters” un til natural death removed them from this life. Even as late as 1900 some of them were living in houses provided by the fam ily to which they once belonged. The Rev. J. J. Long became pastor of Macedonia in July 1912. Soon after his arrival the people began seriously to con sider the condition of their old church building which had stood for more than half a century. On the 13 of April 1913 a vote w'as taken which resulted in a una nimous decision for a new church. For $65.00 the Council engag ed Mr. L. F. Frick, an archi tect of Little Mountain to fur nish designs to select from, and to aid in directing the work of building the new church. By the first of March 1914 the people began to place materials on the ground. A contract w'as made with Mr. W. T. Livingston of Newberry for $800.00 to do the mechanical work, and the church which is the second one to be built on the ground was completed, and ready for the first service on January 9, 1915. The first hymn sung in the new church was, “There Is A Foun tain Filled With Blood.” Pastor Long preached on the subject, “The Rich Fool.” Marion Guy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion W. Long was made a member of the church by infant baptism at the first service. The following day, Sunday, January 10, 1915 Harris Clay- borne Amick, Noah Michael Shealy. Charles Holmes Epting and Yance Leroy Amick were received into the church by con firmation. From this time to the day of dedication a number of gifts and memorials were re ceived by the congregation. On Sunday, May 27. 1917, a congregation of about one thou sand persons 11.000) assembled at Macedonia Church to engage m the Dedicatory Service of the new church building which is the second to be built on our church lot At 11 a.in the Rev J. W Horine, I) I) . Editor of the Lu theran Church Visitor, Colum bia. S C.. preached the dedica tor) sermon, using as his text. ’But the Son of Man hath nut where to lay His Head". Alter the morning service dinner was served on the church ground. At 2 p m the new church was so lemnly dedicated to the worship of God The dedicatory service was conducted by Dr. Horine. Following the ceremony the Revy W. H. Greever. I). D.. Editor of the American Lutheran Survey. Columbia. S. C.. made an en couraging address commending the congregation for its united consecration. He stressed the importance of giving our sons to the Gospel Ministry. He asked how many ministers had gone out from the congregation, and was informed that two of her sons were now preaching t h e Gospel." Sidney Calhoun Ballentine was born July 4. 1865, was baptized and confirmed in Macedonia Church. He graduated from Roa noke College with first distinc- ‘ion in 1890. and from Mt Airy Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1894, and was ordained on May 28, 1894 in St. Johannes German Lutheran Church, Phi ladelphia, Pa. He served parish es in South Carolina and Virgi nia, retiring from active service in 1938. He passed to his eternal reward on November 20, 1944. Arthur Wellington Ballentine was born March 17, 1885, was baptized and confirmed in Mace donia Church. He attended the local schools; graduated from Newbrry College in 1907, taught school the winter of 1907-1908; and graduated from the Luthe ran Theological Southern Semi nary in 1911. He was ordained in St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Goodman, Mississippi, on July 2, 1911. He served par ishes in Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia. He is now retired and a guest at the Lowman Home. After a long time Macedonia is happy to have another son en ter the Gospel Ministry. George David Swygert was born Octo ber 5, 1941, was baptized and confirmed in Macedonia Church. He attended the Chapin schools graduating from High School in 1959, Newberry College in 1963, and the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in 1967. He was ordained in Incarnation Lu theran Church, Columbia, May 26, 1967. He served St. James, Leesville, and is now serving Grace, Bessemer City, N. C. In the late 1920’s the securing and clearing of land for the wat ers of Lake Murray forced many families from their homes and farms, thus reducing the mem bership by about one third. With the waters of the lake coming within only a few hundred yards of the church, the future did not look too bright. However, many faithful people held on, and to day the future looks promising for the church. It was during the pastorate of the Rev E. Z. Pence that Sun day School rooms were added to the rear of the church proper. The addition is a two story struc ture. The congregation was in a pastoral charge with other con gregations, or congregation un til July 9, 1961, when under the leadership of supply pastor ITS. Petrea she became self support ing, and immediately began with plans to secure a lot and build a parsonage. The lot was secured, some money borrowed, the house erected and dedicated April 28, 1963, and within 18 months the debt was paid off. Today Macedonia is a vigorous congregation with a new deter mination to serve her commu nity, and sharing gratefully in the larger ministry of the South Carolina Synod, and the Luthe ran Church In America. In June of this year she began holding 8:00 a. m. worship ser vice on the lake shore just be yond the church for vacationers, and summer residents of this resort area of Newberry County in addition to her regular sche dule of services. Also, this spring some improvements were made in the nave of the church, and the entire floor of the nave, chancel and choir were carpet ed. With a growing enrollment in her schools, need for space for social activities, and admini strative purposes, the congrega tion is adding weekly to a build ing fund. The story of Macedonia is the story of her people and pastors working together for the glory of God, the spread of the Gospel, and the deepening of their own spiritual life. From her begin ning in 1847, Macedonia has ne ver been long without the ser vice of a pastor. Let us just re cite the names of the pastors without giving the date of their service, but in the order which they served. The Revs. George Haltiwanger, Sr., William Ber ley, James H. Baily, Samuel Bouknight, J. A. Sligh, C. P. Boozer, J. D. Bowles, A. J. Bow ers, W. A. Julian, J. H. Wyse, Jacob Hawkins, J. D. Kinard, H. P. Counts, S. L. Nease, J.K. Efird, O. B. Shearouse, J. J. Long, J. B. Harman, E. Z P.ence, Albert Stemmermann, L. H. Jeffcoat, J. H. Koch, Jr., H. S. Petrea (supply), W. E. Jernigan, F. A. Rice, III, and C. L. Richardson ,the present pastor. Today Macedonia is a congre gation of 267 baptized members, 184 confirmed members, with active auxiliaries in all phases of the churches work. Robert Clinton Shealy, Pros perity and Janet Elizabeth Price, Newberry were married here July 24. land just east from where the See your local, independent insurance agent first. It always pays. “YOUR PRIVATE BANKERS’’ 1418 Main Street Phone 276-1422 YOU CAN WORK AND TRAIN FOR COMPUTER PROGRAMMING DATA PROCESSING ENGINEERING DRAFTING No Experience Necessary Men or Women VA Approved High school or equivalent. 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